1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a hands-free telephone which is mounted in a motor vehicle, preferably in a readily handy position for easy positioning to the mouth of the user. The invention will eliminate reverberations and other noises common to motor vehicles.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The present invention is for a telephone microphone to be positioned close to the mouth of the user. The microphone is built into a flexibly elongated extension arm and the user can, by hand, position the microphone which will then maintain the position indefinitely. The invention can be safely and securely retained when not in use.
There is prior art for hands-free microphones, whether it be their use in vehicles or in other applications. It is also well known to use a flexible conduit, one that can be manually fixed into a desired shape and having a microphone built into the distal end. One such arrangement is found in courtrooms, more specifically, in the witness stand. Another application area can be found with hands-free microphones used with computers. Yet, none of the prior art teaches the use of a hands-free telephone microphone which is designed to be used close to the mouth in a motor vehicle and then safely stored away when not in use.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,668,869 issued to Zinno on Sep. 16, 1997, teaches the use of a mobile telephone hands-free holder that provides the user a hands-free environment, whereby the handset is clipped to the shoulder strap of a seat belt. The holder is slidably mounted and can be adjusted to fit the physical size of the user. The present invention does not require the use of a seat belt and has far less moving parts.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,490,213 issued to Huang on Feb. 6, 1996, discloses an apparatus for a hands-free mobile telephone unit in an automobile. This patent by Huang does not however teach a means for providing a microphone that is to be used close to the mouth of the user, in order to eliminate vehicle noises, echoes and reverberations that are inherent in all automobiles.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,842,174 issued to Sheppard et al. on Jun. 27, 1989, teaches a mounting apparatus that utilizes a flexible, tubular support arm for holding the hand set. Although the use of a flexible tube is taught by Sheppard et al., this invention does not teach the use of a hands-free microphone. Also the safety element, which is the most important consideration of the present invention, is not addressed. The invention of Sheppard still requires the operator to drive the vehicle with one hand while using the telephone.
None of the above inventions and patents, take either singly or in combination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed.